Education Specialist, P4, Mogadishu, Somalia CO, Fixed term

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 90,970 USD and 117,287 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Hope

UNICEF has been working in Somalia since 1972 when its first office opened in Mogadishu. Today we have over 300 staff working in Mogadishu, Baidoa, Dollow, Garowe, Hargeisa and Nairobi, Kenya. Together with international and national NGOs and community-based organizations, UNICEF delivers services in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education and Child Protection, as well as supporting the development of national systems towards peace-building and development efforts. Over the course of decades of conflict, widespread insecurity and lack of public funding, the education system as well as the education status of Somali people has suffered. Access to basic education is challenging for a large portion of vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons as well as rural communities. UNICEF is dedicated to ensuring that all Somali girls and boys can enjoy their right to a quality education, from early learning opportunities through secondary school. To achieve this, UNICEF works closely with the Ministries of Education in the planning, implementation and monitoring of an education programme that aims to deliver high impact foundational education interventions which enable children to develop the essential literacy, numeracy and life skills required for their future prosperity.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general supervision of the Chief Education, the post is expected to provide advanced technical assistance, quality assurance and knowledge generation in the design and delivery of UNICEF’s investments in improving early learning outcomes in Somalia.

The postholder will oversee the achievement of the programme results relating to early learning, and specifically:

• Early Childhood Education: support government counterparts at federal and state levels in the designing, implementation and expansion of quality early childhood education services for young children.
• Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in the Primary Years: advocate for and oversee implementation of high-impact learning programmes and coordinate UNICEF’s engagement with the Government of Somalia to actualize their Commitment to Action to advance foundational learning.

Additionally, the postholder will lead in relevant areas including, but not limited to, digital learning solutions, remote and hybrid learning approaches, curriculum reform and learning assessment.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. To lead the development of programme strategies and designs to address poor learning outcomes in the early years, with a focus on systemic national approaches (national assessment, national standards, national teacher performance, curriculum) and the scaling up of innovations including remedial education and Technology for Development initiatives.
2. To co-ordinate and develop key partnerships focused on enhancing education quality and in delivering the government’s commitment to improve children’s learning outcomes within formal and nonformal education systems. This includes overseeing funding partnerships and building technical and strategic partnerships with multi-partner sector programmes, universities and civil society consortia as well as regional think tanks.
3. Provide guidance to federal and state level Ministries of Education on how to enhance education quality and children’s learning outcomes through the introduction and scale out of structured pedagogical packages, teacher policies, and curriculum.
4. Contribute to the situation analysis, planning, and monitoring/review processes of the UNICEF Education Programme, including support for more rigorous analysis of interventions (including cost-effectiveness analysis) in collaboration with other Country Office colleagues.
5. Manage institutional and individual contracts as per UNICEF guidance and best practice to secure results for children.
6. Support to programme management processes and for other section duties, as agreed with the supervisor.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Advanced university degree in the Education field is required.

Eight years of progressively professional work experience at national and international levels in Education programmes.

Experience working in the designing and delivery of foundational literacy and numeracy programmes.

Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) Language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others. (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.